


Together [Sophia Lillis fanfic]

by BlueCollar



Category: IT (2017), IT (2017) RPF
Genre: Cast - Freeform, Crush, F/F, F/M, IT - Freeform, It(2017), Love, finnwolfhard, okdontknowwhattoputelsehere, sophialillis, thisisgonnabesocute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2019-01-30 10:18:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12651609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueCollar/pseuds/BlueCollar
Summary: As yet another one of the thousands of IT fans, you can only dream about meeting the cast and, more importantly, the girl of your dreams: Sophia Lillis. But what will happen if you suddenly see a redheaded girl in a coffee shop who seems strangely familiar to you?





	1. I - The Shop

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Firstly, welcome to this story. I have been writing for some time, but this is actually my first fanfiction story on a real life-person, so constructive and/or nice feedback is much appreciated!!!  
> I will write in first-person, a you-point of view, present-tense. Feel free to picture the main character however you like (it may even be you if you wish :D)
> 
> Enjoy!

**\- « ¤ » -**

I've always been an huge IT fan.  
I mean, I don't think that will sound uncommon to you, because like the majority of the world has been an IT fan since the movie came out, almost two months ago. But I'm convinced my love for the whole story goes much deeper than creating Pennywise dancing memes, making "loVer" drawings and shipping the Losers Club. A year ago, I learned about the novel, read it, and was immediately hooked. I kept dreaming about the mystical town of Derry, the terror that lives beneath it and the story of the losers defeating Pennywise, growing up, embracing their fears. Now that may all seem extremely pathetic, but it's all true; I don't think there's a story that has had more impact on my life other than Stephen King's IT.

But there's one thing I have to admit: I do love the cast. Nah, maybe not all of them equally, I mean, Finn is adorable and I wish I would get the chance to make fun of Wyatt's hair one day, but the one person who has truly stolen my heart is Sophia Lillis. Yup, you guessed it, I'm just one of the thousands or millions of people that have a crush on the famous redhead queen. Well, 'crush' is maybe not the right way to put it, I might have gotten a bit obsessed. It started out with following her on instagram and writing some short drabbles about her, but it has now gotten to a point where I simply can't stop dreaming about her. I mean, WHY NOT? Isn't she perfect, after all? And I do live in Brooklyn, New York, in fact, so it's not like my chances are entirely small...

Anyway's, it's impossible. I know that. I have embraced that, now. So I guess there's nothing else left for me but dreaming....

**\- « ¤ » -**

**Brooklyn, New York. October 2017. An everyday shopping district.**

I walk past the various windows, stocked with the most nonsensical shit you can imagine, as the sun shines on my face. Johnny Cash is mumbling in my ears, singing that "no grave can hold his body down". I sure hope so, though - guy's been dead since 2003. I'm obsessed with country and old music, even though that's frowned upon at where I go to school. It's not like I really care, I've always been very self-conscious and people just have to accept me like I am.

_And I'm positive Sophia thinks that way as well_

I shake the thought out of my head. I really don't want to think about Sophia, now. I have already spent this entire morning being jealous of all of the other instagram accounts getting attention from her, like that one of the guy who is extremely good at making drawings of her. I wish I had some kind of talent or a way to get her attention. Like, why am I not a gifted drawer? Sure, I can write a decent flower or so (please don't think too much of it), but I'm not really sure that will be enough for her to leave a nice comment saying "OMYGOSH THATS SO CUTE I LOVE IT".

Besides, what the fuck am I thinking? I'm not meant to meet Sophia Lillis, let alone the chance of having a relationship with her. I'm just meant to get a random nice girlfriend, maybe another one, and spending the rest of my life with her.

I sigh from frustration and walk over to the coffee shop across the street. I enter and look around. The patronage is a bit saddening this morning: a few people are scattered over the tables, chatting with the usual lack of interest. An unrecognizable tune with an even more unrecognizable singer is playing in the background. I press the two vertical stripes on the display of my phone to force Johnny to shut up and walk over to the counter. Behind it stands a cute girl, maybe early twenties, with a green cap and apron. She smiles when I stop before her, inspecting the refreshments with an unimpressed look on my face.

"Hi, how may I help you?"

"Just coffee," I mumble. "And one of those croissants, please."

"Sure, that'll be three dollars."

I hand her the payment and take the exchange. She dissapears behind a wall of coffee machines, and I hear some rumble before she returns with a small cup. (WAY to small for that amount of money, in my opinion) She takes a croissant, puts it in a bag and hands it to me over the counter.

"Here ya go!" she says cheerily, still not giving up her enthusiasm. I do my best to reply with the same amount of kindness, but it still comes out of my mouth like she just  
_threw bags filled with mess on me and called me a slut or little shit  
_ killed my entire family, or something.

I go to the quiet, empty corner at the window and sit down, putting the coffee and the bag on the table. I can't help but immediately click on the instagram icon when I pick my phone out of my pocket. A couple of updates from some fan accounts. Sophia at spooky empire; happily interacting with her friends and fans, taking awkard photos, her smile decorating each picture, turning it into a wonderful artpiece.

_Look at that gorgeous creature. Just look at it. Isn't it impossible to not love her, not dreaming about her, not hoping that that smile will be all yours some day? It's-_

Lost in the field of my thoughts, I shift my elbow and accidently shove the cup off the table. It hits the ground, the lid disconnecting with a splashing sound, brown liquid spilling all over the ground. Some people look up from their tables, but don't bother to offer any help. The girl behind the counter apparently decided to disappear to an unknown place.

I mutter "shit" as I kneel down and grab the cup. Just what I need. I put the cup on the table and plan to get up and look for some tissues, but before I can do anything, a hand reaches out, some clear, white tissues clamped between the fingers.

"Here, figured you might need this," says a voice, it's tune bright and cheerful - but for me unrecognizable, at that moment.

I take the tissues without looking up, mumbling a quiet "thanks" before I start cleaning. I manage to get most of the caffeine mess off the floor - it will leave a nasty stain, though, but I'm pretty sure it won't do any harm to the interior of this place. I get up, expecting the annoying girl with a wide smile on her face. "Thanks, miss..."

My voice drops and becomes an unhearable, silent mumble. The next thing I know, I stare into a pair of the brightest blue eyes I've ever seen.

Oh.

My.

God.

Sophia giggles. "Sorry, I didn't catch that,"

"Oh, eh, thanks," I say.

"No problem, eh..."

"(Y/N)" I stutter. "It's (Y/N)."

"Oh, cool. I'm-"

"Sophia Lillis," I say, still not believing my eyes.

She giggles again, though a bit more awkardly this time. "Yeah, I guess that's not really a secret anymore..."

I grin. An uncomfortable silence falls between the two of us. God, I really hate myself. Now I finally have the chance to say whatever I want to Sophia Lillis, and I'm fucking speechless.

"So, um, you need another coffee?"

"Oh, eh, I'll get it myself. Don't worry,"

"Nah, it's cool. I was going to get one myself anyway,"

I watch dumbfounded as she walks over to the counter and starts ordering new drinks. Did that just happen? I mean, I have fantasized about her a lot (and I do not mean that in the pervy way), but I didn't expect her to be this... casual. If I hadn't known better, I would've been sure I just met a random stranger.

Not to mention the fact that my heart is almost bursting out of my chest. I'm suddenly aware of the pain Kane must have gone through.

"Here ya go,"

I turn around to see Sophia standing with two cups in her hands. She gives one to me. "Would you like to sit down and have, uh, a chat?"

"Wouldn't every living person in the world?"

She smiles - lord, it's killing me. "I guess it's your lucky day then,"

"Oh, I'm pretty sure," I mumbled, as I follow her to a table.

 

"So, do you live here, or are you just visiting?" Sophia asks, as we sit down.

"No, I live here. Pretty close, actually."

"Oh, really? That's cool. We could be neighbors!"

"Nah, believe me, you would've noticed."

I can see her smiling slightly. God, this girl is cute. I can't help but dream of a future with her, the possibility of a celebrity being my girlfriend, watching scary movies with her, cuddling under a blanket.

"So, you're a big fan of the movie too then, (Y/N)?"

"Oh, yeah, absolutely. The book is better though. Not that your performance was bad, it was fantastic," I add, quickly, my cheeks turning bright red.

"Yeah, book's always better than the movie. Thanks, though. I've based some of my performance on the book, actually."

"Oh, really?" I ask. "Did you read like, all of it? The whole 1000 pages?"

"Nah, not everything. I like reading, but so many pages is just... too much."

"Yeah, I get you. So you read all the parts with Beverly?"

"I did,"

"Beverly's my favorite character," I say, with an absent smile.

"Oh, is she?" she asks, with a curious tone in her voice. "And is that because of me, or..."

"Sure, obviously," I say quickly, "But also, I mean, she totally kicks ass. Fighting against an evil clown and her abusive father at the same time,"

"True," she says, sipping at her coffee. "That's why I like her so much as well. I really like these characters who kind of stand up for themselves. Very tomboyish. I guess my short hair gives me an advantage on that point as well,"

"Yeah, I really like it, by the way,"

She smiles again. "Why, thank you! That's so kind of you." She observes me for a short moment before she speaks to me again: "Ya know, I'm really glad I met you, (Y/N). I think this is one of the longest conversations I've ever had. Most fans I meet just want to take a selfie and tell me how great I am and such, but you're actually genuinely interested in the story. Not that they aren't, of course, but..."

"Yeah, I get you. It's just... I love the story and I love the way you brought Bev to life on the screen. Not to mention how kind and amazing you are in real life, of course..."  
I notice a slight blush spreading across her cheeks. She fiddles a bit for a while, before she reaches into her pocket and grabs her phone. "Hey, how about I give you my number, and we can, uh, hang out some time?"

"Yeah, that'd be cool," I reply, not believing my ears. I stare blankly at the black numbers on my screen. That's it. Sophia Lillis' number. Do I really have it? This reality seems to become more surreal with every minute.

Sophia stands up, taking her cup with her. "Okay, I have to go now."

"Sure, uh, bye."

"Bye," she says with a small wave, before she takes off to the door. I think for a minute, then turn around. "Sophia?"

She turns to face me, standing with her hand on the doorknob. "Yeah?"

"Thanks for the coffee!"

She gifts me her beautiful smile once again. "No problem. See ya!"

And she's gone. I stare at the door, the glass panels swaying a couple of times before they stand still. The reality of the situation hits me with the impact of a train on full speed.

_Oh my God. I just met Sophia Lillis, and SHE GAVE ME HER FREAKING NUMBER!!!_

I leave the shop with a glassy look on my face, packed with the expectation that things would only get better from here.

**\- « ¤ » -**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okey, so much for the first chapter! That actually turned out being much better than I thought...
> 
> Make sure you leave feedback and/or rate if you like it!!


	2. II - A Saturday Afternoon (1)

It's been a week since my awkard encounter in the coffee shop, and I haven't heard from Sophia since then. The thought of calling her crossed my mind a couple of times, but I absolutely didn't want to force anything. And of course, I could just text her, but then again, what was I thinking? We've only met once and I would already act like I'm her best buddy... of course she'd be embarassed, and I would blow my chances forever.

So I just kept waiting. I checked her instagram account everday, hoping to see a post with my name in it popping up, but that was of course as likely as the chance of being hit by a meteor. So basically I entered a kind of depressive state for the rest of the week, saying nothing, doing nothing but thinking about that gorgeous pair of bright, blue eyes...

until this saturday.

**\- « ¤ » -**

  
I sit in my room, doing my homework. I decided to pick things up again after a good talk with my mom (and a rather... helpful rant from my dad). She had asked why I were so quiet and I told her the truth... that I "kinda" had feelings for a girl but didn't know whether I should take the next step, or not. She just replied with staring at my carpet for a long time, then smiling at me and saying that I "could also just enjoy the feeling... ya know, it's not like the world will end if you just let it be."

So much for helpful mom advice. I sigh as I stare at the blank piece of paper, deciding to scribble down "courtly" as characteristic of medieval European literature. I really don't feel like doing much for literature homework. My teacher, mr. Banker, is such a dumb smartass... claims to know all the secrets of "both modern, old and ancient literature", while having the vision of a 17th-century witch hunter. I mean, the guy keeps insisting that Stephen King is all about "horror, homophobia and oppression of women", while he clearly doesn't know anything about the HUMAN aspect of his work. See what I'm talking about?

Anyway, I try to keep my attention to a silly paragraph about famous poets as my phone suddenly rings. Being a 21th-century easily distracted teenager, I snatch it from the desk and read:

 **UNKNOWN**  
Hiya  
You already up?

I reply, the fire of hope already fully awakening in my stomach,

**ME**

Sorry, who's this?

**UKNOWN**

Don't remember me??????  
So much for your Beverly fangirlism :p

 **ME**  
Omg o_O

I'm so sorry

Forgot to give ya a name

**UNKNOWN**

Dont worry that's fine

You giving one now?

 **ME**  
Yup, done

 **SOPHIA**  
Oki all good  
R you up to anything??

 **ME**  
Nah, not really

Just doing homework

**SOPHIA**

Hey, me too!  
Maybe we can study together?

I almost slide off the edge of my chair as I hastily type:

**ME**

Wow

You mean right now??

 **SOPHIA**  
Ye, unless you're not up for it...

 **ME**  
You kidding?

Of course I am!!!!!

**SOPHIA**

Great :D

So, I'll send you my adres, and I'll see you around...  
3 maybe?

  
 **ME**  
Ye, 3 works for me

  
 **SOPHIA**  
Oki then  
See you about a couple of hours :D

  
 **ME**  
Bye :D

I stare blankly at the screen as I try to process the reality of the situation. I can already feel the emotions flooding in, like they've been just hiding somewhere, waiting for a small sign of attention. Also...

_SOPHIA LILLIS HAS INVITED ME TO STUDY WITH HER_

I try to keep my mind clear as I cram all of my books and papers into my backpack. I can't help but also feeling a bit nervous - the thought about seeing her again is both exciting and terrifying me. Maybe I should just try to see her as a normal... friend and keep things simple?

'Yes, but how the fuck are you going to pull that off?' I say, as I walk down the stairs. The girl is a celebrity and all, and then I haven't even started about her looks and eyes and brilliant poses in all of her pictures yet.

'Pulling what off?' my mom asks, reminding me that I just said that out loud. 'Oh, nothing,' I say, rather quickly, 'just been thinking about a school assignment. Hey, mom?

'Yeah?'

'I'm out this afternoon. Going to study with a friend,'

'Oh? Who?'

Damn - perfect time for her to have a sudden interest in the people I'm hanging out with. I try to sound as convincing as I can as I say: 'Uh, Taylor. You know, the girl from art class,'

'Ah. And is she also the one who...'

'Nah, don't worry about it, mom.'

'Okay then.' She smiles. 'Have fun, sweetie.'

'Oh,' I smile, ' that'll be alright, mom.'

 **\- « ¤ » -**  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay, I'm aware that this is a rather short chapter in comparison to the previous one, but I'm kinda writing this late in the evening and I don't want to dissapoint anyone by spending another week with no updates. I'll probably write the second part of this chapter tomorrow or maybe later in the upcoming week, depends on the amount of schoolwork I got.
> 
> Also I want to apologize for not updating in such a long time, but got a lot of IRL stuff going on at the moment :) Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for the next chapter x


	3. III - A Saturday Afternoon (2)

**\- « ¤ » -**

I stand right in front of Sophia’s apartment, with what feels like an incredible stupid look on my face. I drop my bag and look around, noticing some kids playing a game of basketball. Then I direct my look back to the enormous building, the dark windows glaring at me with unsurprising indifference.

I feel incredible stupid. Well, I guess that’s not the right word… overwhelmed, perhaps. It’s not because of the building, although that thing seems to emit a force that makes every nearby object seem much smaller in it’s presence; it’s more because of what lies in it. I have no idea. I’ve never been good at reading people, but this is just ridiculous: is Sophia genuinely interested in me, or…? To be honest, I don’t think so. I mean, it’s fairly obvious that Wyatt and her will eventually end up with each other, isn’t it?

I sigh and decide to find out what the hell this all means. The glass door leads to a nice hallway, decorated with some objects you’d find in every regular building reception: some trees, a bench, a small table with magazines. Don McLean is singing in the background, delivering his homage to Holly, Valens and Richardson. I make my way over to the big panel with doorbells, inspecting the names as my eyes glide over the many shiny nameplates.

_McGregor… Masterston… Terry…_

My heart skips a beat.

_Lillis_

I reach out, then retract my hand again. Should I answer it? But what if it’s not her… her mother, or even worse, her brother?

_“Hello, who’s there?”_

_“Eh, hello, this is (y/n)…”_

_“Ooooh, my lil’ sis has a (girl/boy)friend?????”_

“No, it’s not like that!”

I slap a hand over my mouth, realizing that I just said that out loud. I look around to see if someone else noticed it, but the lobby is fortunately still empty.

Okay, I can’t spend all day here, just staring at that nameplate like a fool. Time to make up my mind. I consider the option of leaving again, but decide to just go with the flow and press the button.

There’s a small buzzing tone and then an eerie silence. A voice, cheery and light, one I immediately recognize, squeals: “Hellooooooooo? Who’s there?”

“Thank god,” I whisper, before I speak up: “Hey, Sophia, it’s me,”

“ _I was wondering if after all these years you’d like to meet,_ ” she finishes, then giggles. “Sorry, I’m just fooling around. Hey, (y/n)! Why don’t you come in?”

I hear a loud buzz and a door to my right slowly slides open. I lick my lips, nervously.

“See ya in a minute,” Sophia says, before she hangs up. I grab my bag and start walking towards the door. Here goes nothing.

The elevator trip gives me some time to prepare, but my body just doesn’t seem to be able to relax. I’m relieved Sophia took up the phone and not ( _her brother_ ) someone else, but there’s still the uncomfortable uncertainty about Sophia’s intentions. I mean, she’s way too nice to be a prankster who just wants to pull off a joke on some random idiot, but she’s a  _celebrity_ , for God’s sake. Out of all the people she could hang out with, why  _me_? Does she only like me, or is there more?

***ding***

O god.

“(y/n)!” Sophia says, enthusiastically, as she sticks up her hands. “I’m so glad you could make it!”

“Thanks,” I smile awkwardly, “It took some time to find your place, though. I really like it by the way!”

“Too much honor. It’s just a house, honestly. Well, come in!”

“Is your family there as well?”

“Nah, they’re all out. Mum and dad are visiting some kind of boring fair. Jake, I don’t know, to be honest. Probably setting bus stops on fire.”

“He does that?” I ask, surprised. Sophia bursts out in laughter. “No, of course not! I was just kidding, maybe he’s out with his friends. I don’t know. We don’t pay that much attention to each other’s stuff.”

“I see. So we got the house to ourselves, then.”

“Yup. Lucky you,” she teases, before she opens the door and invites me in. I’m met by one of the coziest living rooms I’ve ever seen. Sophia’s parents are apparently masters at decoration; there’s industrial stuff, combined with modern stuff, combined with Art Deco stuff… or whatever that’s called. It gives me a very relaxed vibe.

I yelp in surprise as Sophia storms right past me; she takes a huge leap, then lands perfectly on one of the sofas. “Leave your shoes at the door!” she yells. “My parents are going to kill me if the carpet gets messy!”

I get rid of my shoes and throw them to the wall, noticing my sudden change of behavior. Maybe I’m already adapting to this place… or it’s just the atmosphere.

I walk over to where Sophia’s sitting, taking place on one of the small poufs. She is sitting with both her legs sideways on the sofa, leaning on her elbow as she is typing on her phone. I try to avoid staring at her, so I decide to look around instead. The windows are massive, offering a nice view of the city. Some background lamps are highlighting a series of pictures on the wall. I notice Sophia, posing with her family at some kind of beach. Others are showing her alongside her brother, or simply her, at a younger age. She was really cute… and still is, obviously.

“Sorry about that,” Sophia says, putting away her phone. “Had to take care of some stuff. So, are you already starting to like it?”

“I love it! Really, it’s amazing.”

“Thanks,” she smiles. “Luckily we got to stay here after the divorce. Dad was fine with us staying here.”

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot your parents are divorced. Must’ve been hard for you.”

“Kinda. They get along quite well, actually. My dad is even good friends with my stepdad, they go out for fishing sometimes.”

“For real?” I smile. “That’s… that’s really nice, Sophia. I’m glad for you.”

“Thanks,” she says, a bit awkwardly, looking down. I give myself a mental kick.  _Stupid, stupid me. Always being too interested in people’s business, aren’t you? Now I’ve probably blown it._

“Sorry,” I say, “I shouldn’t-”

“It’s fine,” she sighs. “It’s just… I dunno, I don’t even know why I’m telling you all this stuff.”

“I’m too helpless,” I blurt out. “People probably tell me all their business because they know I can’t do shit,”

Sophia laughs. “Aww, don’t be too hard on yourself. Everyone has their talents. I hate talking to people and yet I ended up doing interviews and meeting all these people I don’t even know,”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true.”

She giggles. “Anyway, let’s get some work done. We’ll use the table. Get your things ready, I’ll fetch us some drinks and snacks.”

“Sure ma’am,” I answered, grinning at her fake, venomous glance. We both get up and I walk over to the big, round table as Sophia retreats to the kitchen. I start preparing, taking my books out of my bag as I listen to her in the kitchen, smiling at every soft curse now and then. The uncomfortable feeling of nervousness has almost disappeared, but I’m still confused about the signals I’m getting from Sophia… not to mention my own feelings. Am I just trying to be friends with one of the most beautiful and kindest girls in the world, or am I really hoping for a bit more…? I can’t quite figure it out, it seems.

Finally, Sophia returns from the kitchen, a plate with two glasses and lots of different snacks in her hands. “I hope you like apple juice. My mom is kinda into all this healthy stuff,”

“No worries, it’s fine.” I say. She puts the plate on the table and takes a seat on the other side, right in front of me. After she has taken all of her own books out, she grabs one of the glasses, and holds it up for a toast. “To world peace?”

“World peace,” I say, raising my own glass.

We study for a while, in total silence, the harmony only interrupted by the scribbling of pens or rustling of papers. I try to keep my attention at the piece in front of me, something about the crusades and which purpose they served (although the majority of them failed, dumbbells), but I keep getting distracted by Sophia, and in particular, the beautiful lines of her face. Her concentrated expression is just stunning. Every time she looks up to take a sip of her juice or to grab a few chips or something, I quickly look down, praying that she didn’t see me. Damn, I must look like a foolish, helplessly-in-love teenager.

One time, though, I look up and catch her staring at me, her bright blue eyes looking directly into mine. We both seem to jump up and quickly, we look down at our homework again, our cheeks reddening almost simultaneously.

Eventually, Sophia sits back and lets out a deep sigh. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t get this right,”

“What’s up?” I ask, taking a sip from my glass.

“Well, it’s this bit about the French Revolution… but I don’t know whether the king was Louis the fourteenth or Louis the fifteenth.”

“Louis the sixteenth, actually.” I say. “He was king from 1774 until 1792, but he was executed in 1793. He became Dauphin when he was just 15 years old, though.”

“Damn.” She shakes her head. “Poor kid.”

“Yeah, and his wife was even worse. Marie Antoinette is said to have been obsessed with clothes. Doesn’t surprise me, though.”

“Oh yeah?” she asks, raising an eyebrow. “And what do you mean with that?”

“Nothing!” I say, quickly. “It’s just… girls, and clothes…”

She winks. “I know. Kidding.”

We share a laugh and then return to our homework. I try to focus, failing again to do so. After playing with my pen for a while, I speak up: “Say, Sophia, mind if I ask you something?”

“Shoot it.” she replies, without looking up.

“Well… I was wondering… why did you invite me?”

Her pen falls still right in the middle of a sentence. I can see her biting her lip, thinking. She finally sits up and sighs deeply. “I don’t know, to be honest. I guess… I dunno… there’s just something about you… maybe that I can relate to. You seem like a nice person to spend an afternoon with.”

“Well, you have friends, right? Why not ask them to come over?”

“I know, I know, but… you know, it’s different. The boys I met at the set are nice and I adore them, but they’re just… friends. Like, I don’t feel like I have the same relationship I have with them as I have with you,”

“But you only know me since, like, one week.”

“Yeah, I know,” she says, making a frustrated gesture. “I’m not sure about all this yet. Until then, let’s just assume that I really like us being friends.”

I feel kind of disappointed. Did I expect her to say that she likes me? Maybe, but I should respect her decision.

“Me too.” I simply say.

We continue without further speaking to each other. About one and a half hour, I take a look at my watch. “Oh, shit, it’s almost six o’clock. I should get home before my mom starts to yell at me,”

“Yeah, my parents are probably getting home soon as well.” Sophia says. “Let me clean up the mess.”

“I’ll help you. The least I can do after so many hospitality,”

She smiles, but doesn’t object. I help her with cleaning up all of our mess, then get all of my stuff together. Sophia comes back from the kitchen right after I finished putting on my shoes and she leads me to the hallway, accompanying me as I wait for the elevator.

“Well, I guess we’ll text each other soon, then.” I say, as the doors open.

“We certainly will.” Sophia says. “Hey, (y/n)?”

“Hm?”

“I really liked hanging out with you. We should do something, soon.”

“Sounds great.” I smile. Sophia smiles back, making my heart beating faster with every second. She hesitates. Then, she does something that completely catches me by surprise: she bends forward, slightly, and gives me a light kiss on my cheek.

“See ya,” she says, cutely waiving as the doors close.


	4. IV - Photography

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really starting to fall in love with this story.

_It's so easy to fall in love_

\- Buddy Holly

 

**School. Two weeks after my visit.**

 

Another two weeks pass by. Fortunately, Sophia messages me more often, and we have some really funny conversations (including all the memes and lame puns; _Sophia: knock knock, Me: who's there? Sophia: doughnut! Me: doughnut who? Sophia: Doughnut ask, it's a secret..._ you get the idea). It's not all fun 'n jokes, though. I tell her about my troubles to connect in school, and she tells me that she can relate to them, even offering me some advice. I ask her how she manages to cope with all that fame, and she honestly replies: "idk."

Somehow, this leads me to believe that we share some kind of deeply rooted connection. Yeah, I know, you'd tell me to not jump the gun, but, I mean, it isn't like there are some obvious signs. Take a look at this:

1) She invited me to her home. And unless she's some kind of super-social naïve extrovert (which she's obviously not), there must be... something about me that convinced her. Just that thought alone is enough to make me sweat, but I wonder if there's more to it. Must be.

2) She is keeping contact. Who knows, she could've decided to just let things be after my visit, but she didn't. That means that she really likes me, perhaps just as a friend, perhaps as something more... love-related. I try to talk myself out of thinking that it's the second option, but am I not just fooling myself? Because that brings me to the third sign...

3) SHE KISSED ME! Ok, I may be thinking too much right now, I mean it wasn't even on the lips and she certainly wasn't snogging me, but I feel like that doesn't matter. Sophia has her own way of showing things. Yet that's the part I'm confused about; that slight peck on my cheek could mean nothing, or it could mean everything. Maybe she really likes me, or I'm just a sad little nerd with too vivid fantasies. I honestly don't know...

 

As I walk down the stairs, thinking about signs and girls and whatnot, I'm suddenly surprised by someone shouting my name. I turn around to see Taylor running towards me, cheeks flushed red. She's wearing one of her favorite Yankees-caps again, her long, blonde hair poking out from under it.

"(y/n)! Hey, (y/n), wait a sec, goddammit!"

I simply obey, waiting for her to land on both of her purple sneakers, amused expression on my face.

"Shoulda waited," she breathes, "I've been looking for you all week. Where the hell have you been hiding?"

I shrug. "Busy. You know mr. McCallough, he suddenly gets these periods when he feels like being an ass and he gives you shitloads of school projects."

"Mr. McCallough's been sick since last month. Got the flu or something," She notices my face falling and bursts out in childish giggling. "Damn, I blew your cover straight up, didn't I?"

"Yeah, victory's all yours, general." I shake my head as we turn around and walk through the hall. She pats me on my back. "Aw, you'll get better at it, sport. But c'mon, what have you been up to?"

See, this is what I meant. I can't fool people. They either see right through me or I just spill everything without having a second thought about the consequences. "I dunno. Stuff."

" _Stuff._ " Taylor snorts. "That's a pretty general term, you know."

"Well, why are you so eager to know?"

"I just wanna know what's kept my buddy that busy lately. And besides, you're acting pretty weird, so it's definitely something big."

I roll my eyes. Sure, Taylor is a good friend and I can probably share a lot with her, but this kind of sensitive stuff? I mean, she is pretty straightforward, and I don't know whether to expect her to burst out in laughter or to tell me I don't stand a chance.

"Look, I want to ask you something before I tell you, alright?"

"Jeez, is it such a big deal?" She sighs, blowing a strand of hair off her forehead. "Come on then, shoot."

"Okay, so, errrrrr... what kind of signs does a girl show to you when she, y'know, likes you?"

"MY GOD, NO WAY!" she yells. I quickly give her a nudge, noticing some people looking at us with funny looks on their faces. She quickly quiets down and whispers: "Seriously, are you seeing someone?"

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call it seeing..."

"No no, we have to be clear on this, (y/n)." she insists, grabbing me by my hand to make me stop. I guess there's no escaping now. "Are you really dating a girl, or not?"

I shrug. "Maybe."

She gives me the annoyed look again. "(y/n)..."

"Alright, alright! I've met a girl. We didn't date, we just met."

"Aw, that's so cute!" she pipes up, her annoyed expression quickly transforming to a smile. "About time, too. I was wondering when you were finally going to start."

"It wasn't exactly on purpose," I say as we start to walk again. "I met her in this coffee shop, and you know, we talked a bit. Then we exchanged numbers and we talked again... and yeah, there it was. She suddenly asked if I wanted to study together. So I was like "ok" and well... we did."

"Sounds pretty serious to me though."

"Yeah, I know. I mean, I do like her, but I don't really know if she feels the same about me."

"Have you asked?"

I look at her with a stunned look on my face. "No, of course not!"

"Well, you probably won't ever know it if you don't ask it, stupid. Gotta ask questions to know stuff. Hello!" She taps me on my forehead as if she wants to wake me up. I slap her hand away, letting out an annoyed sigh. "Whatever."

"C'mon, it's not like the world will end if you do it. I mean, what's she like?"

"A bit introvert. Not very talkative, but if you get to know her, she's really a wonderful person. And... well, she kindadidgivemeaslightkissonmycheek."

"Speak up, Sylvester Stallone. Couldn't hear that last part."

"Okay, fine!" I throw my hands up in frustration. "She gave me a kiss on my cheek when I left. Straight outta nowhere."

"Oh damn, this game is só on!" Taylor smiles and puts a hand in front of her mouth as if she's trying to suppress a giggle. "She's definitely into you."

"Yeah, that's what you say and that's what I think-"

"And it's the truth, bozo. You just have to ask her. C'mon, ask her to meet up again - you do have her number right?"

"Of course."

"Well, then there you are! Really, (y/n), you need to let go of that poor attitude. Gather some courage, ask her. It's you that's gonna have to make the choice eventually. And who knows, maybe you'll end up with a wonderful girlfriend."

Can't deny - that does sound pretty fucking amazing. Just the thought of it is enough to create that weird, glowing feeling in my stomach.

"Yeah, maybe." I sigh.

 

**\- « ¤ » -**

 

I keep wandering around with all the new food for thought Taylor gave me and I can't help but feel like she kinda has a point. I mean, it's clearly obvious that there is a mutual interest and she did really invite me to her apartment, didn't she? I can't imagine she would do that for every random fan she met. And maybe, you know, I shouldn't be seeing myself as one. Then again, if I start to rush things, I can come off as some kind of pervert and that's definitely something I want to avoid. But I really want to take things to a next level, too.

Damn, why does life have to be so _HARD?_

I did hear from her recently, though. When I opened my Instagram last time, I found this:

 

**(y/un)**

 

 

Liked by **taylor.xoxo** , **sophialillis** and **43 others**

 

 **(y/un)** Look what I found

View all 6 comments

 **taylor.xoxo** nice buddy (y/nn) ;)))))

 **sophialillis** awwwwh ✨

 

I'm just glad it didn't draw any attention. And if that wasn't enough, she also TEXTED me again! Although I must say the message was a bit strange...

 

 **Sophia:** Hey, can u meet tomorrow at 4?

 **Me:** Uh, sure, y not?

 **Sophia:** Great!!! See u at the docks then, I'll send u the location xx

 

And that's the last thing I heard from her. Guess I ought to check it out then...

 

**\- « ¤ » -**

 

**Brooklyn, New York. October 2017. The docks close to Brooklyn Heights Promenade.**

 

It's kinda chilly today and I shiver a bit as I walk down past the big, grey piers. There's seemingly not many ships today and I can't complain much about the traffic either. Not that I actually would. I mean, it's New York City rite, gotta accept the lifestyle. And my mind is honestly too preoccupied with whatever Sophia's been cooking up for me this time. Asking to study with her was at least still a bit comprehensible. (Though it's still weird how easy it is to become a celebrity's friend these days... right?)

Apparently I was a bit too preoccupied. I hear a snap somewhere right from me, followed by an excited "gotcha!"

I yelp as I jump up, nearly tripping over a small, stone bench. Sophia appears from behind a lamppost, checking the display of her camera in the process. Her smile is really gorgeous.

"You know, you didn't have to scare me like that," I complain, rubbing my sore heel. Sophia giggles. "Sorry, (y/n), didn't know it was that easy to scare you."

"Well, maybe you shoulda known." My cheeks are almost instantly flushing red. Okay, chill it, idiot. No need to make a scene now. "Sorry, I didn't mean that."

Sophia simply waves it away. "No worries, it was my fault. Well, it's a nice picture anyways. Wanna see?"

"Sure." I take a step forward and I can't help but gulp a little as I stand next to her, the beautiful, soft outlines of her face hidden behind a few orange curls. I look at the display. You know, there's always some awkwardness to seeing your own picture for some reason, but this time I didn't have that feeling at all. The picture was absolutely stunning.

"Wow. That's... that's a beautiful picture, Sophia."

"Isn't it?" She makes a kind of goofy expression, pouting her lip. "You had like this really thoughtful expression on your face. I just couldn't resist."

"Yeah? Where did you learn to photograph like that? In a studio, or something?"

She shakes her head. "Nah, my stepdad. He's very dedicated to it as a hobby, y'know, likes to take pictures of people all the time. I guess he kinda got me infected with it too."

"He sure did. His name's Christopher, right? I think I follow him on Instagram."

"Kerrect, sir. He's absolutely incredible. Maybe you guys should meet sometime!"

"Meet?" I ask, almost as if she just asked me to sing the Russian anthem out loud. You know, it's very bombastic and all, but I don't even know all the lyrics to the American one. "You sure he's okay with uh, strangers coming over?"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, (y/n). He loves to meet new people. Even goes with me to most of my Comic Cons. Besides, you aren't really stranger anymore, are you?"

"Uh..." I notice her staring at me waiting for my answer, but it isn't exactly the most comfortable experience. It's almost as if her bright blue eyes are looking right through me and I can feel my cheeks reddening again. "Uh... yeah, sure, guess you could say that."

"Mhm." Suddenly, the terrible wrath of the awkward silence is there again and we both stare at the idling port, and the big cranes, standing there like metal giants in the distance. I've noticed it before and I don't think I can pull off denying it again: time really seems to freeze with this pretty girl around.

"Hey, about that 'stranger' stuff again..." I pipe up. Sophia looks at me. "Yeah?"

_Oh shit. I'm not ready yet. No, you are, for God's sake, don't be a bitch for once and actually have the guts to tell a girl what you feel for her. Didn't you already get told off yesterday?_

"No, never mind. Must've been somewhere else with my mind."

"Oh, okay." She shrugs. "Hey, (y/n), I just want you to know... it's okay to tell me stuff, right? Just because people make Instagram edits of me an write fanfiction about me and shit doesn't mean I think I'm better than you. I just want us to be friends, like, talk about normal stuff and life. Nothing more."

"Well, life ain't exactly normal if you're a celeb and all. At least, can't imagine it is."

"So what are you saying exactly?"

"Nothing!" I almost shout, rather hastily. See, you've managed to fuck it up again. So much for that girlfriend opportunity, eh?

What am I saying anyway. Now it almost sounds like I'm just here to hook up with one of the prettiest people on earth. Which I'm not.

"I just... well, forget it. I don't know what's up with me today."

"Probably caught a cold again," she winks as she playfully nudges me. Then suddenly, her hand has disappeared in the pocket of her coat. "I almost forgot, got something I wanted to give you."

"No way," I gasp, my eyes widening as she presents her little gift. "A Beverly funko pop? The actual chase version?"

"Knew you'd like it," she giggles, as she hands the small, blood-covered Beverly to me.

"Like it? Damn, I've been searching everywhere for it. Uh, by the way, you don't have to do this just for me,"

"Oh, it's cool. I can probably get hundred more if I'd like to. Keep it, it's yours."

"Wow. Thanks, Sophia."

"No problem at all." I could be wrong, but it almost seems like there's a small, shy smile on her face. She looks away before I can confirm though, taking her camera up again. "Well, I think it's best to go home before mom starts to whine again. She's getting these family vibes lately, now she wants to take us out for a whole evening together. I wonder how I'm going to put up with getting pinched by Jake for hours."

I chuckle. "I'm sure you'll figure something out."

"Yeah, maybe." She looks down at her feet. "Hey, (y/n), is it okay if I take one more pic?"

"Uh, sure, why not? Do you want me to like, look like some stoned Socrates again?"

"Nah, not this time," she says, adjusting the camera in front of her face. "I just want you to make the weirdest expression you got."

"Okay, shouldn't be too hard." I pull a face, she snaps the pic, and I'm relieved to see that cute smile again when she checks the display. "Perfect. By the way, feel like coming over Saturday? My parents are going to be out again and I'm planning on inviting a couple of friends over. We're probably just going to play silly games and watch campy horror movies."

"Yeah, sure, sounds like fun."

"Neat." She winks and sticks a hand up, making one of her iconic finger-pistols again as she starts to back up. "And don't forget, I'm counting on ya, buddy."

"Wouldn't want to disappoint ye, sheriff." I wave at her before she disappears at the end of the street, then look at the small Beverly in my hand.

 

I think I looked like a complete idiot in that picture. An idiot in love, maybe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got an exciting surprise for you next chapter. :p


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